When he wasn’t in the news for being the best Olympian, Michael Phelps had people worried with the bruises on his shoulders. Fret not, the swimmer is just the most recent in a long queue of celebrities who’ve tried cupping, an ancient Chinese therapy. The treatment involves placing glass cups – which are heated via a mechanical pump – on the body; as the air inside the cup cools, a vacuum is created which makes the skin rise. The cups are usually placed for five minutes and are often moved across the skin slowly to create a massage-like effect. The suction flushes out toxins and is said to provide pain relief. Sometimes, it leaves behind telltale circular marks when the capillaries near the skin surface are broken. But Phelps isn’t the only fan, here are 8 more celebrities who swear by it:
Gwyneth Paltrow
The Iron Man actress sported cupping marks on her body all the way back in 2004, and brought the treatment into the limelight.
Jennifer Aniston
The Friends star was spotted with multiple cupping marks on her back in 2013; Aniston supposedly underwent the treatment to boost her fertility.
Freida Pinto
The Slumdog Millionaire actress turned heads at the LAX airport in 2014 despite her lowkey ensemble.
Lady Gaga
The popular singer has also given cupping a shot in the past; photographer Terry Richardson shared an image of cupping marks dotting her body in a bathtub.
Justin Bieber
As part of his spiritual (and physical) makeover, Bieber is said to have undergone an intensive cupping session to flush out toxins from his body and seek relief from physical stress caused by lifting weights.
Victoria Beckham
Another early adopter of the technique, Beckham is said to have taken up cupping on Paltrow’s advice.
Kim Kardashian West
Not one to miss out on a celebrity trend, Kardashian recently revealed on Snapchat that she has turned to cupping to seek relief from neck pains.
Lena Dunham
Dunham spoke up about her love for the ancient Chinese therapy by tweeting an image of herself post-cupping with the caption, “Da cure.”
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